By October 1, all websites with any kind of text input will be required to have an SSL certificate or be “punished” with a red “Not Secure” warning in Google Chrome.

In layman’s terms, this means that instead of the standard “http://” prior to a web address, the heading would need to read “https://”. For sites that have been properly secured with an SSL certificate, a lock icon and the word “Secure” should appear in the header.

Veterans Today Network is the process right now of converting all of its sites to HTTPS protocol

“Google Chrome is used by over 40% of VT Network visitors. Thus it is important we convert and comply. We expect to have all sites converted by Oct. 1” says General Manager John Allen. “Security is a good thing and the user experience must be as secure as possible. We applaud Google for deploying this strategy and, while converting is not super simple or easy especially with the amount of content VT Network has, we are super thrilled to comply.”

The internet is always changing and evolving. So this is the second part of Google’s long-term initiative to help users browse the web safely by labeling HTTP pages as non-secure.

In January 2017, when Chrome 56 was released, Google began the process by marking un-encrypted sites that transmit sensitive information such as passwords and credit card information via the web as “Not Secure.” The intent is to warn users that their personal information can easily be compromised or intercepted in plain-text format if they submit it to a non-secure website.

Additional warnings will be activated when Chrome 62 is released in October, and this release will extend the “Not Secure” warning to all un-encrypted sites with any form of text input as well as well as those accessed using Chrome’s Incognito mode.

Visitors to a non-secure website will still be able to use the site’s eCommerce portal and text input forms, but Google hopes to discourage users from doing so by making them aware that their information may be compromised without the security feature in place. This puts pressure on website owners to take action or risk losing business.

Eventually, Google plans to require all websites to maintain an SSL certificate or be labeled “Not Secure.”